Cirque du Kefka
by The-Seer-of-Gallifrey
Summary: When Kefka created a circus to enjoy himself, he gathered the other villains of Chaos to join and work for him. When the employees find something is wrong with the circus, they decide to do clandestine work to find out why the circus is more than insane.
1. Prologue

CIRQUE du KEFKA

(NOT based on "Cirque du Freak")

Characters –

Kefka Palazzo

Sephiroth

Emperor Mateus Palamecia (the Emperor)

Cloud of Darkness

Ultimecia

Kuja Tribal

Garland

Terra Branford

Cloud Strife

Zidane Tribal

Pairings –

The Emperor/Ultimecia

The Emperor/Cloud of Darkness

(Emperor Mateus. So you know, I am NOT a 'lady's man'.)

Setting (Chapterwise) – Narshe, South Figaro; World of Balance

~PROLOGUE – The Pala—Spectrum Circus

Terra was around the city of Narshe, finding herself in lost moments of being as bored as a rock. Edgar Figaro was not with her, but his brother was. Sabin was normally around her, protecting her from anything remotely destructive. Who knows, another evil like Kefka would rise again in the World of Balance and tear it at the seams like the insane Court Mage.

Another friend of Terra's, Celes, was just next to Sabin. The last of the small group was Locke, but did not happen to be around her at the moment.

"Is there anything that is not boring that would be so fun to see?"

"I don't know, Miss Terra." Sabin scratched the back of his head, and crossed his arms after a second of standing before a poster that advertised the latest events in the Narshe park.

"Someone told me about a circus coming next week, he has details about it with him. Maybe we should see him." Celes informed the both of them.

Terra began to ponder the consequences, which appeared to be nothing to her. "Why not? Who's this friend of yours?"

"Edgar."

"Do we have to go all the way to Figaro Castle?"

"He should be in town." Sabin added to the mix, following them out of the park to find Edgar. "It wouldn't hurt to find him, so I guess I'll go look for him. You two stay here."

"What about Locke?"

"If he returns, he'll find you. " And with that, Sabin left into the cityscape of Narshe. Terra and Celes glanced at each other, and both shrugged.

"I still want something to do now. But what's good now?" Terra continued walking around the streets of Narshe, along with Celes, and finally caught up to Locke about three moments later. "Locke! You're back!"

"Yeah, I was trying to find you, but I only found Sabin trying to find his brother." Locke turned to see the crowded streets of Narshe, Terra and Celes walking past him. He followed, quickly. "I thought Edgar Figaro was not in town today."

"Sabin said he was in Narshe, but you know how he is. Always telling himself King Edgar is somewhere around, when he's not." Celes loosened her hair and continued to walk along the cobblestone streets with Terra and Locke.

"When I passed by Sabin, he was talking about finding some information on the circus. Why is everyone looking forward to it?"

"Some people like the circus, and love seeing clowns."

"That is just it; the circus is a demented place, and clowns are evil."

"Not evil like Kefka."

"That's true." Locke stood in a confused position, placing a hand on his chin to ponder about what the circus may be. "But he's gone, his influence is dead. Let's just worry that clowns won't kill us, anymore."

Celes nudged him and crossed her arms. "Yeah, right. They won't kill us. Clowns look evil, but they are innocent."

"What about Kefka?"

"That was a Court Mage." the first pure Magitek Knight sighed. "Not a clown."

Terra nodded, "But he looked like one, certainly." The three of them ran into someone who looked like they worked at a circus, in the Freak Show section. Terra recognized the girl as "Shantotto".

"Hello! Is the circus what you wanted to know?" Shantotto rhymed. "Terra is confused. Let me shine on you or refuse."

"Can you please not rhyme?"

"I could not. You are in a knot." The shorter crossed her arms and glanced toward the Esper-human. "Can't help you here."

After returning home from an hour of rambling and rhyming with Shantotto, Terra, Celes, and Locke relaxed, with Sabin and Edgar still not present.

Shantotto was with them, also. She was sitting on the bed as she watched the others do what they normally did, inside. "What could there be to do in one week?" spoke the Esper human. Celes shrugged with Locke, and Shantotto hopped off the bed.

"Go to the Castle! But it might be a hassle."

"How?"

"The circus is there."

"How do you know?"

"…I work there. The Management said he wanted to see a Terra Branford, there. That was you, I remember. I believe you are Terra Branford." Shantotto continued to rhyme.

"Who is he?"

"Told me not to say anything, only that he wanted to see you. I only know who." Terra sighed, wishing forever the rhyming to end. "Pack up! To Figaro or bust!"

Terra shrugged, and had begun to leave straight for Figaro, with Shantotto. They both rode on Chocobos, all of the way to South Figaro. Just across the desert, the sands became hot and smoldering for even Chocobo feet. It had taken a bit longer since they were not much able to run in the heat. Shantotto had hopped off of her Chocobo and took the strap, continuing to walk on forward to the city in the great distance. Terra continued to ride on her Chocobo after the shorter rhyming one moved on.

"I can see Figaro Castle in the distance." Terra yelled without an echo.

Shantotto hopped back onto the Chocobo, and rode fast to South Figaro. The other followed as quickly as possible to catch up.

They were there in a matter of moments, but it seemed like an eternity they had begun that trip forward. Both continued to press on like nothing happened less than a short break from the heat of the desert. It had become significantly colder the closer they reached Figaro Castle. "The Management is checking with King Edgar Figaro to stay."

"Should we go into the Castle? Only I am allowed of the two of us. Maybe Edgar is here." Shantotto agreed with her, allowing Terra to continue on.

As they continued on to the city in the distance, Terra became paranoid that she would not make it in that lifetime. "We are so far from the castle."

"Never fear, Terra Branford, I know a way!" The Chocobos rode faster into the desert; three moments after, landed into the city of South Figaro, just before the Castle. "That way."

"We didn't do anything but ride faster."

"Exactly." Shantotto and Terra dismounted the Chocobos at the gates of the Figaro stables. From under the castle, they reached to the main domain of Edgar. There he was at the front gate, speaking with two men. One was under a hood, and the other was Sabin.

"Edgar!" Terra called from behind, when the king turned behind to see her and the shorter, rythmic, Tarutaru just beyond her.

"Terra, good to see you! The circus Management called to see you, and—"

"Shantotto told me everything."

"Shantotto?" He noticed Shantotto standing behind her as she (Terra) descended to greet him, "Oh, nevermind." Edgar and Sabin continued to speak with the management of the traveling circus. "Anyway, I'm not sure you should be around here. Last time there was a clown, he ruined the world."

"Really? Where he left his tracks, I'm not following them. Trust me!"

"I don't trust clowns, anymore."

"And what if I said I was that Palazzo fellow?"

"Then I would slay you, put you on a rotisserie, and eat you like chicken on Sunday."

"…ew. Disgusting." The hooded Management had noted Shantotto and pulled her forward. "…so, I can't stay here?"

"No. I don't trust you."

"What if I said I wasn't a clown?"

"Then any circus without an egotistical, egomaniacal clown is welcome here!" Edgar boasted with a smile on his face, pulling Terra closer to him. "Now, Terra," he turned to speak, "I want you to talk to the Mage, here. He ordered that you be found. He wanted you to work in the circus with him."

Terra glanced to the mage, tilting her head to the side in mere confusion. He stretched a sleeved hand to greet her, politely, and the Esper [hesitantly] took his hand to confirm the greeting. "Okay…I might not like this."

"You should enjoy working at a circus. I have a special job for you." the Mage mentioned, taking Terra with him. "Thank you for your thoughts, King Edgar Figaro." And the mage descended into the city that had lied before the castle. He dragged Terra further into the city, and she noted a caravan. Attached by straps were five Chocobos, each different colors. It seemed they were a large part of how to get places.

"You're a part of a traveling circus?"

"Ah, yes. I am the Management."

"You sound familiar."

"Several people have a voice like this, Es—I mean Miss Branford." Terra glanced to the hooded Management as they walked closer to the sparkling caravan. "Like clowns."

"Okay, makes sense." Terra stepped into the caravan after the Management. "This is really nice."

"Yes, it is—I mean to say…uh…er, thank you!" Terra had suddenly become a bit suspicious of the hooded Mage.

Terra glanced around as the Mage ushered her to a seat near a desk. The desk was almost cracked in half, and the seat's legs were somewhat broken. The decorations, though, were colorful and the walls were laced all in cloth.

"I'll get you some lemonade, Dear." said the Mage.

"I'm fine."

"No, really. I've got a wi—I mean 'delightful' drink maker that you might like."

"I think I'm fine, right now." Terra assured the overly tense Mage. "So, what was the job you wanted me to do?"

"Follow the lady outside of the caravan, and she will show you the schedule." He ushered her back out of the caravan to see a silver-haired, slightly tattooed female standing outside the door.

"Do I know you?" Terra asked, seeming to see a resemblance in her face to someone else's. The taller lady did not even look at the Esper human.

"No." she quickly answered.

"Huh. Okay." But Terra did not believe her. The rushing lady slowed down soon enough as she reached the bulletin board across the area that was encompassed by the traveling circus. So far, she did not even see the name of the circus, so she asked the lady. "Excuse me, but no one [yet] has told me about the name of this traveling circus. What's it called?"

The lady still had been reluctant to turn. "We called it the Spectrum Circus because of it's colors."

Terra nodded as she was left next to the bulletin board at the smallest caravan. She read over the names listed on the paper and realized something. No one was named with their actual name. The lady pointed out Terra's job, and it said another name to describe her, instead.

How did they know she was an Esper? Her job was helping tame the Bloodfangs and the Belzecue. Then, the silver-haired lady disappeared.

So, to pass time, she had started to look around the circus. Terra decided that it would be best to get acquainted with the people she would soon have to work with.

She found several of them to look like people she had seen in the past, but she had shrugged it that it was a coincedence, that some people look like others with popularity to gain popularity. Apprarently, they are very good at acting, because their personalities and looks were on the spots. …so why were they dressed as enemies she had fought in the past? She asked one of them who looked very regal with his gold and purple armor.

"You look like someone I know."

"To be honest," he spoke in a light English accent (British), "if we look like anyone you have seen, we promise you that it is a mere coincedence. Who, pray tell, do I look like?"

"I can't put his name out there, I'm not sure. You just look like a person I saw."

"Hm…well, if you can remember the name, be sure to return to me." And thus, he had left to the unknown. Terra knew how much this place was suspicious. The Mage did not try uttering her name once, so she wanted to investigate further. Now was not exactly the time, she did not want to act suspicious [herself].

She walked back to the Management Caravan and overheard the strange hooded Mage speaking to the same regal looking man she met up with.

"_But, Sir! She is useful to you, that is why you took her in the first place._"

"_Yes, Captain Obvious, do you think I'm stupid?_"

"_That would be EMPEROR Obvious, Sir._" The regal man walked out of the caravan and noted Terra stepping a bit of the away. "Oh, Miss Branford! That was a simple bout we had in there, don't mind it. If you wanted to see the Management, you could have knocked."

"I was passing by, and I heard some yelling."

"The Management and I…don't really get along." He scratched the back of his head and glanced down to the Esper human. "We have a fight many a day. Never a dull day, here. It might be the same for you."

Terra glanced upward to the man's face. "I really believe I know who you are…I just can't say who."

"Trust me, I look like David Bowie more than anyone else." said the regal man, "But still, who do you think I look like?"

"Uh…you look very decorated."

"Ah, thank you. But that was not what I meant, Miss Branford."

"You look like some kind of Emperor." He went stiff at the mention of the word "emperor".

He then became less tense and continued on like nothing, "Well, I am the Emperor. It's a figure of speech. The emperor to the Management. I control what happens here, but the Management controls my actions."

"Oh. I thought you were someone else. He was an Emperor, too."

"Oh, really? Interesting." he spoke, slowly. Upon Terra following him as they walked to the center of the traveling circus, she saw another person who seemed to look like a monkey with his tail. Here, he was in a cage, along with another person, who may have possibly been his younger brother. "This is a part of the 'Freak Show' as the Management likes to call them. These people have special powers. They might look like they are monkeys, but they are strong."

"Who are they?"

"This youngling here is Zidane." Terra became well aware who the younger person was. She went into shock. "Is…something wrong?"

"I know who he is! I've seen him before." Zidane was behind the bars, clutching for himself, and he seemed to be scared.

"Really? I might have to tell the Management about that. He wants to know _everything_. He's on this place like a wolf to its pack. Trust me, the security around here is…" he trailed off, then suddenly continued, off on another subject, "Get reacquainted with Zidane while I speak to the Management." He turned and bolted off into the distance.

Terra glanced to see that no one was looking, then turning to see Zidane holding the bars. "You've got to get me out of here, Terra. This place is freaking me out. First, I get grabbed by the Management, and then he drags me here to the Freak Show. What job did he give you?"

"Taming the Bloodhounds."

"It's not easy, trying to impress the Management. I only got the job for looking like a monkey. You're the only one of us who isn't inside a cage. I have to stick with Kuja in here, and I don't like it."

"Do you know who the Management is?" Terra asked, quickly, "He's never told me his name, or anyone who works here. All he told me was that he was a part of this traveling circus."

"I don't have a clue, Terra. I've heard from that Emperor of the Management, though, that the Management controls everything from the background. Never told me his name. He's a bit suspicious, if you ask me. All of them look like our enemies." Zidane sat onto the wooden floor and Terra still glanced to him without taking her eyes from him. "But the Management never revealed himself, which is very suspicious. This place is like a playground for villains. That silver haired man with the Throwing Blades booth…he looks like Sephiroth." Terra nodded, letting Zidane continue on with his information, "That drinks and snacks lady looks like Ultimecia." He pointed to the silver-haired lady Terra followed, earlier. "I'm thinking that maybe it is them. But…they are really good in costumes and personalities. I'm just thinking that the emperor of the Management is a little strange. He keeps stuttering and tripping over his words. And that British accent? A little suspicious, but I think he knows that we think he is the Emperor of Palamecia." Terra nodded in agreement with the young boy, and she stood close by the bars. "I don't think you should be hanging around the cage for a while. The 'Trainer' is coming."

"The 'Trainer'? Who's he?"

"The 'Trainer' is a 'she', Terra. She's pretty strict. She keeps a Bloodhound with her, everywhere."

"What does she look like?"

"I can't remember." Zidane crossed his legs and continued to sit before the bars of his cage. "Well, I think you should go, now. The 'Trainer' comes around about now."

"It was nice to see you, Zidane."

"Yeah, you too." Terra turned to leave, then passed by a tall, silver-haired man with a very haunting glare in his strange eyes.

"What are you doing, scampering around?"

"I was just…taking a look. When do I start working?"

"Tomorrow." And the man continued to pass on, when the Esper human turned see Zidane shrugging. She had then continued to move on to the main caravan, where the employees met. It seemed to look like a lounge, of a sort.

Terra glanced around, only to see a large man in armor, standing at the edge of the caravan, just next to a tall mirror. The armor was a great coat of silver, and the man held a massive sword, almost as tall as he was. Terra KNEW [for a fact] that the man was a villain. She just wanted to dismiss it, so she shrugged it off that he did not attack for the time she was in there.

That, and he was simply speaking to her without the harsh power of his vocabulary. "Hello, Miss Branford."

"Uh…hello. …what are you doing here? Why aren't you attacking me?"

"The Management said I could not explain why I am here."

"I know that you are someone named Garland."

"Very smart girl, you are, Miss Branford."

"Why does everyone look like a villain I know? I just met with a man that looked so much like Sephiroth."

"That was Sephiroth."

"_I knew it_. Are you telling me this to stall me, or are you really telling me this to help?"

"I need help. The Management is using me as a decoration for the caravan."

"Who is the Management?"

"He told me not to say much except that he is a Mage." Garland was not even moving. It seemed something binded him. "The reason I am stuck here, in THIS caravan, is because I gave away the information. No heroes were supposed to enter this caravan unless they worked here, and the only hero working here, for him, is you."

"Huh. Do you need help getting untangled?"

"No." Garland spoke flatly, in a mild undertone. "If the Management notes my missing, he will know it was you."

Terra glanced confusingly at Garland, then turned to face the door. "Even when no one's watching?"

"Yes, Miss Branford." Terra glanced back to the massive suit of armor at the corner.

"Does anyone patrol this circus?" asked she, with a small hint of tension behind her voice. She hardly believed she was speaking with a villain, and was not being attacked. It was not that he was held back, but he came to terms upon something.

Garland continued speaking quickly, detailing that the security was very uptight and sophisticated, for the Management who acted like he never was serious. Terra listened to the information. Just as she heard a sound at the door, she dove behind a quite decorated cabinet to hide. Garland went back to his previous position. Who stepped in was the emperor of the Management.

"Terra Branford, I know that you are in here. Show yourself, the Management wants to see you."

Terra continued to hide behind the cabinet, but was pulled out from behind by a security guard. "Ah, there you are. Follow me, Miss Branford."

She was dragged from the Meeting caravan to the Management caravan in minutes, then placed in front of the hooded Mage [who leisurely sat on the steps to his doorway]. "You found her! Goody!" Terra noticed when the Management had clapped his hands, they seemed to be in some form of discord. When he placed his arms back on the step he was lying on, his left hand seemed to slip from his black sleeve. He covered it, very quickly. "I got a job for you. Put up these posters around South Figaro. Emperor Matis is coming to help you."

"A job on the first day?"

"This one's really simple." From what Terra could see, he gave to her a pack of posters. Again, she could see his hands, but it was another split second. All she could noticed was how pale they were, that they were as white as a sheet of computer paper. "Just put them up around South Figaro. You know your way around, right?"

Terra took the posters and placed them against her chest. "Of course."

"Good. Now, off you go!" Terra was followed by Emperor Matis, who had taken more than half of the posters, just to help her out.

"Mr. Emperor?"

"Call me Emperor Matis, alright?"

"Oh, sorry. Anyway, you really don't half to take half of the job."

"I'm just doing what I can for you."

"Thank you, Emperor Matis." The Esper human had a great feeling that even he knew that she knew he was the Emperor of Palamecia…or also known as Emperor Mateus. She wanted to make it known, but now was _still_ not the time. "Where should we put them up?"

Emperor Matis had glanced around the area as they stepped back into South Figaro. He scanned for any bare walls. There seemed to be quite a few. "Look for any unused walls, then set them up."

Looking at the posters before she set one on a bare wall, she noted the name was _not_ Spectrum Circus, but "the Palazzo Cirque". She immediately notified Emperor Matis, and he came straight over.

"Someone told me that the name of the circus was 'the Spectrum Circus', but…this isn't the name I saw."

"Another name is the Palazzo Cirque, because everyone seems to claim that the Palazzo fellow owns this circus."

"Don't continue to lie, Emperor Mateus."

"…I knew you would find out."

"Why are you helping me?"

"The Management ordered. Not only that, but I felt the need to help."

"You're a villain."

"I know that, Child. I just need to get away."

"Why do you keep calling this guy the 'Management'?"

"Because I have to follow his orders. Not even I have seen him square on the face. He keeps the hood on so no one knows. I've only heard his voice to know who he is, but he won't keep his name in front of me." the Emperor informed Terra as she placed a poster on the wall. He placed one just three meters off. "Do we have a truce? I do not like working with you, you do not like working with me. I think we can come to terms over tea."

"…okay. I guess." Terra slid over to the Emperor and hugged him like she would a mog.

He pushed her off, instantly, "Not my personal space, Miss Branford."

She let go, reluctantly, "Sorry. I'm just happy. I've already got Garland on my side."

"Garland? He hasn't spoken to me since this whole fiasco started."

"What fiasco?"

"When we started working together. He and I fought and fought for days about how either of us was better than the other."

"Apparently, you like getting in fights."

"I'm a minefield for a bout. I've fought with everyone." Emperor Mateus had sighed, and continued working. He found other places for the posters, and continued speaking. "I've fought with Sephiroth. The Management. You name the person. I've fought with him."

"What about the person that looks like Ultimecia?"

"That is Ultimecia, Miss Branford."

"Why are all the enemies of mine working here, except for Kefka? I've seen Garland, Cloud of Darkness, Ultimecia, Kuja, you, and others I've passed by. Is Kefka a clown in remission?"

"I'm not sure where he is, Miss Branford. Let's just get these posters, and we'll ask the Management to see if he knows where Kefka is."

_End of the Prologue_


	2. Rush of the Day

CIRQUE du KEFKA

(NOT based on "Cirque du Freak")

Characters –

Kefka Palazzo

Sephiroth

Emperor Mateus Palamecia (the Emperor)

Cloud of Darkness

Ultimecia

Kuja Tribal

Garland

Jecht

Terra Branford

Cloud Strife

Zidane Tribal

Pairings –

The Emperor/Ultimecia

The Emperor/Cloud of Darkness

(Emperor Mateus. So you know, I am NOT a 'lady's man'.)

Setting (Chapterwise) –South Figaro, World of Balance

~CHAPTER I – Rush of the Day

After the job of placing posters on the bare walls of South Figaro's many buildings, Terra and the Emperor returned back to the caravans of the Palazzo Circus. They reported back to the Management as quickly as possible. With Terra knowing the new information, it was not easy to keep her mouth shut about this.

It was well past the evening, and it had become dark without many streetlights to illuminate South Figaro.

"So…where do I sleep?" Terra asked the Emperor as he lied out his bed in his own caravan.

"Well, we haven't decided with the management. Until then, we'll find something." The Emperor waltzed slowly to the vanity of his own caravan and had sat down in the seat to the mirror. "It won't take very long. Once I get on my night robe, we'll go to the Management and ask about these sleeping arrangements."

Terra glanced to a decorated seat and sat down. The Emperor glanced to her by the mirror, "You can sit on the mattress. It won't bite."

"I'm fine here."

"Suit yourself, Miss Branford." And the Emperor continued to apply make-up to his face. Thus, the Esper human continued to sit quietly at the side, just beside a window covered by a large cloth. She turned, and saw the cloth was decorated in an ancient Asian mural. It was a Chinese dragon among a backdrop of sky and clouds.

The Emperor turned to see the girl looking at the cloth over the window. "That's very old. It is a…'hand-me-down' from my father. He liked those things. Never really got to see it in Pandaemonium, so I never looked at it last until Palamecia was handed to me to control."

"I like it."

He turned back again, continuing to apply his make-up. "A Chinese dragon symbolizes the 'Wise'. In mythology, the Asian dragons were revered as wise and majestic beings. Not just dragons. In the Western cultures, like European and North American, dragons were described as evil beings that represented the devil, or demons. So, people slayed them."

"You know a lot about dragons, Emperor Mateus."

"There's a lot to learn about them, Miss Branford." He then stood and took his robe, covering his form in a bright yellow fur with purple trim. After tying the robe together, he walked out of the caravan with the sound of his "fur-shoes" hitting the ground. The Esper human followed him as quickly as he walked from one place to another. When arriving to the door of the caravan, the Emperor knocked only twice.

A familiar voice rang from inside the caravan. "_Just a minute!_"

With that, the Emperor turned to his follower, "He takes over five minutes for saying he only needs one."

And they did stand outside of the caravan for over five minutes, just before the Mage opened the door to them. "Emperor! Oh, how…delightful… . What brings you here at fifteen past ten?"

"Sleeping arrangements for Terra Branford…?"

"…OH, right. Come in, Miss Branford. Set your junk anywhere."

"I'm going to be in…here? I don't like that idea."

"Well, I do. Now set your junk somewhere." Terra hesitantly placed her suitcase at the corner, just beyond a cabinet with several drawers. She was afraid to speak, knowing something might happen, or that he might find something funny and laugh about it. She had a feeling that it was another of her enemies under the hood. But the white hand she saw earlier, she did not notice anything else about that hand.

"I don't think I'll like this. Emperor Mateus? Can't you help?"

"You're out of my hands, so I can't do anything." The Emperor turned out of the caravan and shut the door. The Esper human had sat at the corner of the caravan, just at the edge of the bed. Strangely this bed had broken legs, but it was still completely level. Strange. She watched, idly, as the Management scurried his room.

"Are you looking for something?"

"No, no, Miss Branford! This is completely normal. Happens all the time!" He still seemed happy…but there was something about him that striked Terra as him being very suspicious. "I just lose my mind. I don't know where I ever put it!"

Terra tried not to laugh, but as she had it slip from under, the Management had laughed along with her.

"Why don't you take off that hood? It's not that bright in here." He turned to the girl, tilting his head to the side. The hood followed.

"Now, why should I do that?"

"You're probably tired of wearing that. It's not like you're a shut-in."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Miss Branford."

"You must be tired of wearing that, though, all day. I mean it's a hood."

The Mage found another way to divert her from the subject, and told her quickly, "Listen here. Maybe you should go to sleep. You start your job early tomorrow."

"Well, I guess—don't change the subject. This is already suspicious. Why did you say you haven't seen Kefka?"

"…" he went silent. After a moment, a security guard ran in quickly, as if running on smoldering rocks.

"Sir Kefka, Sir Kefka, the Bloodhounds are missing!" Then Terra just stared at the security guard, then to the Management Mage. "…oh, Miss Branford. Hello."

"…I am going to ANNIHILATE you!" He chased the security guard out of the caravan, Terra became bundled in a corner. She heard some yelling from outside the caravan. It seemed that someone was being attacked by Blizzaga and feeling how ice-cold it was. Or Thundaga, which zaps just as good. Then he had returned. "I got a bit caught up. Now…where was I?"

"Kefka…why didn't you say you had seen Kefka?"

"…whelp…because I didn't look in the mirror, or remember to tell myself that the handsome devil I'm looking at now was…uh, ME!" Taking off the hood, Terra could see short hair with a small ponytail. There was a great, fire-red, plume extending from the back of his head. "Besides, I didn't SEE myself, because I never looked in the mirror, today, little Miss Esper!"

Terra latched onto the sheets of her floor-bed. "I'm not gonna hurt you! I'm doing this for entertainment!"

"You do everything for your own entertainment. You don't care about others. I want to go back to my friends."

"You can't leave here." Kefka's voice deepened, considerably.

"Why not?"

"When you work here, you can never UNWORK here!" Kefka smirked, intensely, and faced his vanity. "_I look HANDSOME_!"

Behind him, Terra was standing with her suitcase, trying to slide out. She managed to do that without his noticing, when he payed attention to himself. But, he did hear the door slam and the clamor of feet rushing away.

He hovered quickly to the outside of his caravan, yelling at the guards to "Seize that Esper!"

And they had done as he asked. The guards continued to chase her until dawn's light, but had returned empty handed.

As one of the guards, Wedge, had knocked on the door of Kefka's caravan, there was no answer to that knock. They stepped in, finding Kefka asleep with a stuffed Chocobo in his hands. The Chocobo's stuffed head was torn off, it seemed. Wedge walked in further. "Sir Kefka?"

He continued to cuddle with his headless Chocobo stuffed animal. The guard repeated, "Sir Kefka?" He had made the _wise_ decision to shake him awake. Kefka's everlasting smile never changed as he was being awoken. As a result of this, Kefka had latched onto Wedge's arm and licked it.

"Yes, my lovely little Esper?" He tried to thrust Kefka from his lower left arm.

"Sir, Terra Branford is gone. She's not here." Just as the Mage's eyes opened, he went into deep anger and hatred.

"…WHAT? Do you want me to kill you?"

"She escaped, Sir, there's nothing we can do."

"I don't care if you CAN'T do anything. Get me that Esper girl!"

"But…Sir—"

"NOW! …and let me take my early morning, late night nap."

The guards retreated the caravan and had continued on searching for Terra like they were asked. It did not last long when the Emperor spoke up to them from his caravan. "What are you doing so early in the morning? It's about 8 AM."

"Sir Kefka told us to look for Terra Branford."

"She's missing? Then let me help with you."

"She's not in our sights. She's not here, Emperor Palamecia."

Emperor Mateus stepped out from his caravan clad in the same yellow, fur, robe. He followed the guards to the place they last saw Terra before she disappeared. "So you don't know where she is? I trust that you might be able to find her. If not, I speak to Sir Kefka about this."

"We did, and he yelled at us."

"Speak to him again, but no telling whether or not he will understand." The Emperor turned away after saying this. "We all know how he works with others…he doesn't think of us. But…on the other hand, I will help look for Terra. She's as valuble to him as I am to him."

So, the set off to find Terra, but they find no trace over the grounds. They figured she might have called for Edgar Figaro to help her. Then, they set aside the idea when he believed the Returners would have come by then, sooner than she had left. No luck, as they had found no trace from Figaro to the traveling circus. She must have returned to Narshe, the Emperor would think.

They had returned to the Emperor's caravan after an hour. "So, we didn't find her. How will we report our findings to Sir Kefka?" asked the regal emperor of Palamecia.

"I don't think he wants to know."

"We'll report to him later. Terra Branford must have returned to Narshe, so we will be there in a week. Until then, get some rest. Try again, later."

"Yes, Sir!" The two guards dispersed back to their post at Kefka's caravan, continuing to guard the door.

The Emperor had taken back into his caravan and had gone straight to his vanity to be ready for the day. Just as he was busy applying make-up, he had heard a thump just outside of his door. It sounded like someone fell onto the ground, but the vibrations could be felt on the higher level caravan.

He waltzed to the door and opened the top half. "Jecht, what are you doing?"

"Carrying some planks for reinforcement on the cages. Security isn't very tight here, Emperor Palamecia."

He sighed, then continued, "Well, what were you trying to amend?"

"The cage doors. A lock looked broken. If no one isn't fixing it, then I AM!" Jecht picked up seven of a 4 by 8 plank, continuing to carry it to the broken door of Zidane and Kuja's cage. It seemed both brothers were still inside. Terra must have wanted to get them, but failed with the security guards chasing her. "By the way, Emperor, you look like a sissy in that outfit!"

"It's just a robe!"

"A girly robe!" Jecht stretched his arms, then taking a plank to replace the broken face of the door to the brothers' cage. He beat the planks in with the simple bolts, just hit with the iron sound of a strong hammer. "Crybaby!" And thus had Jecht continued to nail in the planks.

The Emperor returned into his caravan and had left the top half of the door open. He turned to his vanity, continuing to apply his make-up and dress himself in the orderly clothing of the day.

The drinks lady had come by, watching the Emperor. He turned, quite alarmed to see her.

"You look dashing today, Emperor Mateus."

"Geez, Ultimecia! You know not to sneak up like that! What were you doing, watching me clothe myself?"

"The door was open. I decided to step in. I have a lot of time on my hands."

"Close the door, Ultimecia! You know I hate any wandering eyes." Ultimecia shut the door and stood outside.

"_I've got ALL the time in the world._"

After a moment of pure silence, the Emperor appeared from his caravan to see Ultimecia continuing to stare at him. "Ultimecia, I have a job to do, and you have to keep supplying the snacks and drinks. I don't think Kefka will like you slacking off."

"I have all of time to slack off my job, Emperor." Ultimecia hovered away from the Emperor, just before he went into the Meeting Caravan.

Upon reaching into the Meeting Caravan, and sitting down at the left half, third seat from the furthest of the door, the Emperor lied his head on his crossed arms. Garland had awoken him with a loud, alarming, noise.

"Emperor Palamecia! Stop slacking off!"

He bolted up, glancing quickly to both sides. "What? Who's out there—who's there?"

"Calm down, you pompous emperor. I'm Garland! Destroyer of the world!"

"Oh, it's you." He slammed his head on the table, but Garland kept alarming him as much as it pained the Emperor to keep looking up.

"If you don't listen, Kefka is going to annihilate you."

"He's already annihilated Biggs. I'm his right hand man. I do not think he will be saying anything about me so alarming and horrible. I just know that he's going to be on my tail for years."

Garland glared at the regal emperor and had motivated him to stand and do something. "Alright! But my work is not until Thursday. Today is Sunday."

"What is your work?"

"I'm the Ring Master, remember?"

"…oh." Emperor Mateus stood up and had walked to the door. Garland spoke one last thing before the regal emperor had left the caravan, "Keep the light off. You know I hate light."

As the Emperor had exited the caravan [the light turned off], he ended up sitting outside, watching everyone at work (except for Kuja, who just sat in the cage with Zidane)…excluding three people, he had noted. One other than Kuja and Zidane…but Kefka hardly did any work in front of the spotlight.

Jecht walked by, slowly, and noted the Emperor on the doorstep of the Meeting Caravan. "You slacking?"

"I won't call it 'slacking', Jecht. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Still fixing the door. That thing's really hard to put together. But, at least I'm not a sissy like you." Emperor Palamecia sighed and placed a palm on his decorated forehead.

"I am not a 'sissy', Jecht. I am just waiting for Thursday. When we start working with the Circus, again."

"Where's that girl you brought in, earlier?"

"She escaped while we weren't paying attention. I thought that she would scurry off to my caravan, but she completely bypassed it."

"Sounds like a sissy."

"I am NOT a sissy, Jecht!"

"Now, you sound like my crybaby son." Jecht strode off with another 4×8 plank. "Haven't seen Sephiroth in a while, have you?"

"No, not since we left Palamecia on Cocoon last week. I've heard he's been ill, but no real evidence."

"That sissy. Well, I better get to work. You should go find out where Sephiroth is." And Jecht continued to work on the cage, as the Emperor strided forward to Sephiroth's caravan. The door was locked, and the caravan was dark.

"I guess he is not home."

"Are you looking for someone?"

"As a matter of fact I—Sephiroth! There you are!"

"What are you doing around my caravan? Stalking? Doing clandestine work under someone's name?"

"I was wondering where you were. I wanted to see how you were doing. I heard you were ill."

"It is not like the Emperor to ask of someone's feelings. Step aside, let me move on." Sephiroth moved past the Emperor, entering his caravan with a black key. "Go away." He slammed the door and disappeared again.

"Obviously, it is not a part of me to ask such a vile thing. Why did I even care?" he sighed, just as he spoke. "Maybe it was Terra's influence. Just being here for a day…that had to be her fault."

He walked back to his caravan, and sat down on the steps. He watched the sky pass on, so he dazed out just before the "Trainer" came by. She carried a whip at her side, just by one of the serpents that extended from her hip. "Hello, Mateus."

He continued glancing to the sky, as she waved a hand threateningly close to his eyes. "Mateu—"

"Geez! Don't scare me like that! You know I—oh, Cloud of Darkness…what are you doing around here?"

"I work here, also…?"

"…oh. Right. Where's your Bloodhound?"

"Waiting with the other Bloodhounds."

"And where are they?" Suddenly, the Emperor perked up.

"In their cages in my caravan."

"Good. The last time I was around one, it clawed at my arm. That scar will not remove itself from my skin." He took off a glove and the large scar was evident on the back of his hand. I don't think the power of healing will heal this."

Cloud of Darkness hovered closer to him, getting into his personal space. "Not in my personal space."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, if anyone sees you with me, they will think something is going on between us."

"And what? Like it is not?"

"…nothing is going on! …I think you should be training your Bloodhounds by now." Emperor Palamecia mentioned, beckoning her to leave. She countered with a sly reply to him.

"It's close to breakfast. I stopped working to get it. Why don't you come along?" Upon pulling the regal man from the steps, he rebelling, she dragged him to her and walked to the Meeting Caravan. Just before they stepped in, the Emperor was released. He stepped in by himself. Cloud of Darkness following him, soon after.

A few moments later, Golbez saw through the door, seeing both Cloud of Darkness and the Emperor feuding. He turned quickly, leaving to tell the Court Mage Management.

"Get off of me, Cloud of Darkness! You know I hate people in my personal space, or threateningly close to me."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Everything is wrong with that!"

"Poor Mateus. You don't know a woman when you see one."

"I don't think I would call you a 'woman'. In Final Fantasy III, you were an 'it', with a gender confusion. You have no 'gender'."

"…oh, right. Well then… ." Cloud of Darkness hovered off of the Emperor and had taken a seat across from him. Jecht stepped into the caravan and had taken a seat two places down from Cloud of Darkness.

As breakfast went on, Kefka hovered in [last] and had taken his seat.

Ultimecia had to make the breakfast, meaning that everyone had to be supplied the reasonable, equal amount of food. Tidus took an order from everyone, and had to report it to Ultimecia.

"Sir Kefka? What did you order? Chocolate and Blackberry Pie?" Tidus questioned.

"Yup! Just like everyday! Now, get to it." Kefka smirked, sending Tidus off to Ultimecia to review the order.

Exdeath spoke, "Are you going to say something or are you sending us to the Void after the early meal?"

"I'm gonna say this…'Nothing!'. I've got nothing to say." Everyone had relaxed…except for Sephiroth.

"What is the catch, Sir?"

"Catch? What catch? There's never a catch!"

"There is always a catch, when it comes to you, Sir."

"Uh…to see Emperor Palamecia at the end of Breakfast…?" Kefka forced himself a false smile, then went back to his normal expression after a moment. "No? Okay. Nope. Not a thing!"

And so, after breakfast, Kefka dragged the Emperor to a corner and pushed him against the wall. "Hey, Emperor Lame-O. I got a job for you. Talk to me while I work!"

"I knew you were going to call me out, Sir Kefka."

"…yeah. Want some pie?"

"Sure, I wou—"

"Oh, too bad! I ate the last slice! Yum." Kefka walked out of the caravan and back to his own. The Emperor followed him. He had a feeling the day would be very long.

After a few hours of sitting with Kefka, the Emperor went back to his own caravan to go to sleep. His day was uneventful compared to other days, but this happened frequently when they moved to another city. Their next week was to be in Narshe, so it would go by faster when they found Terra, again.

It could become very boring. Being an emperor, he demanded a lot of things to happen, but he could only act as an emperor here. Kefka was the Management, so he controlled all from behind the curtains.

The Emperor was in his mind, thinking of what his occupation here was meaning to him. So far, Kefka had not paid the Emperor for his dutiful manner, but asked for gil, himself. He just wanted to find out why Kefka was wanting to take the gil, but he could not do an inside job to find that out.

"Why does he want my money?" he reminisced for himself, "He should be paying me. He has not when I worked. I have almost nothing left."

He sat up, crossing his arms, "I have to speak with him about this, sooner than next time we begin."

Springing from the mattress, he waltzed to his vanity. He turned upon hearing a sound, but it was only the wind. Either that, or a branch hitting the window. His caravan was closer to the trees than the others.

Emperor Mateus turned to see the mirror, just as he straightened his lower tresses. He glanced to the right on the mirror, just to see Golbez at the door.

"Sephiroth wants to see you, Emperor." Emperor Mateus stood and turned, following Golbez to Sephiroth's caravan. "Sephiroth, he has arrived."

"_Good_." Sephiroth stepped from his caravan to take the Emperor. "Get in."

When he stepped in, he had taken a seat next to a desk, piled over in the paperwork Sephiroth had been writing and signing. Contracts? Unknown as to why, but the Emperor was nowhere close as to curious.

"Why did you bring me in here?"

"I needed to ask you a question to answer to me."

"What is it?"

"What have you noticed about Palazzo the entire time we have worked for him?" Sephiroth had asked, the Emperor giving a straight [yet quick] answer to the former General.

"Never has given me a pay, no salary. No gil. No reward for a job well done."

"Interesting. What else?"

"Sir Kefka has wild behavior about—"

"Everyone knows about that. What do you know?"

"I was not finished, anyway; your interrupting is defiling my concentration. Now listen…because of his wild behavior, he told me of the plan he wanted done by me. I am not even sure that I will get anything out of it."

"Have you had any time to plan this to say to someone?"

"Just before Golbez came to me. Now, anything out of the ordinary that you have noticed?"

"Because you are loyal to Kefka, I will not speak of a word to describe how much he annoys me with his constant manner of anything."

"Just because I work under him, does not mean I am actually working for him. Who could be an example?"

"I've already had enough of this insolence. If you do not want to be decapitated, Emperor, by Hell's Gate, I suggest you leave." The Emperor stood, and left without another word.

As he sighed, he muttered, "I only portrayed being his servant.", thus continuing to leave.

After a moment of not paying attention to walking, he slammed into Jecht. The larger built man had pushed Emperor Mateus to the ground, "Watch where you are going, Emperor." And he had passed on.

It was a few days later that things were beginning to go into motion for the first show at South Figaro. Because everything was going in like the correct cogs and gears, they said the first show would run very smoothly. Even though the Emperor had a hard time before the show actually began, Ultimecia was the first to get him moving. He had a hand to get started; Gabranth.

The Judge Magister had not been wearing his helm at that moment, since it was rather discriminating. No one really knew who he was in the first place. The lights had suddenly dimmed. "Hello! Welcome to the Spectrum Circus!" called Gabranth from a microphone. Emperor Mateus stole the microphone and continued to speak to the large audience.

"We are your hosts, Emperor of the Management, Matis Palamecium, and—"

"Judge of Ceremonies, Gabranth!"

"This evening, you will be witnessing something we've never done before. I would like to present the first act—"

"The first act will be something normal to us. I present—"

"Cloud of Darkness and the Bloodhounds!" the Emperor concluded, quickly. Cloud of Darkness had run from the curtains, with eight Bloodhounds trailing behind her, vicious for the meat of the audience.

As she held a ring of pure flame, hovering in the air, she called out each of the names of the dogs to jump with the leap of faith. Each of them leaped through the ring of flame. As a result, some of them had been set aflame. Running around Cloud of Darkness in a disc shape, the Bloodhounds that were not on fire were leaping over Cloud of Darkness as she had crouched down, throwing a cloud of black dust in a wave. The flames on the Bloodhounds disappeared with the cloud of dust.

To everyone, this was normal. …if not for the ending of the act, a Partical Beam (Horizontal), then it would have been normal. No one really had suspected anything. The next act announced was another act with the vicious canines, but this was performing on an obstacle, something normally seen in a famous circus.

"For the next act, another with the Bloodhounds, is an obstacle. You have seen this before, but there is a twist!" the Emperor announced loudly as the audience roared in excitement and praise.

"Each of the Bloodhounds in flame must perform a trick of their own that may leave you asking for more amazing colors."

Seven rings had been lit, and Cloud of Darkness each sent the eight Bloodhounds through the rings. All eight of them had done a different trick as they thrusted through the flaming rings. The first one stepped out from of the seventh ring, flipping and stepping back with a growl. The flaming mane blew bright with color.

The second was out, twisting like a vertical tornado. It stepped on both hind legs, the wrists and ankles in flames. It dropped to four legs and had growled, prowling forward.

The third and fourth were out, then. The had twisted themselves like a dark Willow tree, drifting down, both engulfed in flame, taking the form of a two headed Cerberus.

When the rest of the Bloodhounds stepped out, they were not in flame, but each of their tails were. The fire on each of the hounds had glowed a powerful spectrum. Upon this, the wisps of flame eminating from the tails had sparkled in the spotlights. Each of the flames had been colored something different from the other flames.

Cloud of Darkness leaped, flipping backward. Her arms were strained at an horizontal angle, her legs were behind, stretched to an unimaginable angle.

The audience cheered in the sheer excitement of the moment. "She is spectacular, is she not? She trains the Bloodhounds, seven days a week, endless hours of the day!" the Emperor announced, as Cloud of Darkness left the spotlight with all eight of her Bloodhounds.

After an hour and a half of watching the circus acts become much more strange, the Emperor decided to call out the Management. But because of not answering back, Kefka never appeared. From the Emperor to Golbez, he whispered away from the microphone, throwing the object to Gabranth to continue.

"Where is Kefka?" Emperor Mateus had asked Golbez, with a silent shrug. He turned then to Gabranth and told him to distract the crowd. Turning back to Golbez, the Emperor told him, "I will retrieve him. You keep the audience busy with Gabranth." Golbez sighed, hovering closer to Gabranth, distracting the crowd to await the late Kefka Palazzo.

The Emperor slinked out the back of the curtains to see Sephiroth, "Where are you going?"

"To retrieve Kefka." And thus had passed beyond the General.

Walking straight to Kefka's caravan, the Emperor slammed into Jecht, once again. "What are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I am going to see Kefka."

"Right. And stop walking into me—I am NOT a wall."

"What can I say? I am not on it, this evening." Standing back to his feet, the Emperor walked on past Jecht. Coming into view of the colored Chocobos, there seemed one missing. Even though it was four days after Terra had left, it was still possible she might have taken one without anyone noticing. He sighed, turning to the door as he reached it. Walking onto the steps in a very fashionable manner, the Emperor knocked on the door. Without an answer, he knocked again. Yelling the name "Kefka!" alarmed the one inside.

The said Mage shuffled to the door, opening it as quickly as the Emperor knocked once more. "Don't hit me with your hand! You already ran into Jecht—"

"How did you know that—no, not now. Get out there, you're next, Sir!"

"Really?"

"Go on, Sir Kefka! Everyone out there is waiting for you!"

"You don't tell Kefka Palazzo what to do! Kefka tells YOU what to do. And I say, you replace me!"

"You are the only one that knows the entire act! No one can replicate it except for you. Go on, get out there! For the other employees so that they do not have to stand out there for—"

"Alright! I go on! Geez. All you had to do was say so!" The Emperor sighed, with he ushering Kefka out of the door.

"I'll lock up for you. Get out there, the audience is going insane over your absence. Remember, do NOT announce your—"

"I know, I know." Kefka hunched over and hovered to the curtains. Golbez stepped out.

"Good, Sir. You are on next." Golbez turned behind Kefka and thrusted him into the behemoth tent. The Emperor stepped into the curtains, appearing at the very back. Gabranth threw him the microphone.

"Good, you are back. I was beginning to believe you were killed by Kefka, since he appeared first. It is all yours, Emperor Mateus. I think Kefka will announce himself—just not…_himself_." Gabranth slipped behind the curtain, the Emperor walking to the stage. The insane Mage snatched the microphone from the Emperor and had sent him off. Kefka had donned the cloak of the Mage, and the hood was over his head.

He had announced his presence as the Management, which did not seem to strike fear. From out of nowhere, the Management had begun his act.

"That was amazing, Kefka. Your sheer instability seemed to knock it off balance quite a bit, though." the Emperor mentioned, informing Kefka of his faults and achievements.

"Well, it's over. …tonight. But I've gotta date with the TV in a minute." Kefka disappeared from Emperor Mateus' view, back into his caravan…but the regal villain chased him to his door.

"Aren't you going to the Conference Caravan to celebrate a job-oddly-done? You are the centerfold."

"…NOPE! I gotta date with the TV!" Kefka hovered into his caravan. "…oh, Emperor MATEUS!"

_End of the First Chapter_


	3. Planning Gone Ablaze

CIRQUE du KEFKA

(NOT based on "Cirque du Freak")

Characters –

Kefka Palazzo

Sephiroth

Emperor Mateus Palamecia (the Emperor)

Cloud of Darkness

Ultimecia

Kuja Tribal

Garland

Jecht

Terra Branford

Cloud Strife

Zidane Tribal

Pairings –

The Emperor/Ultimecia

The Emperor/Cloud of Darkness

(Emperor Mateus. So you know, I am NOT a 'lady's man'.)

Setting (Chapterwise) – South Figaro, Narshe, World of Balance

~CHAPTER II – Planning Gone Ablaze

"Your television set…is missing?" the Emperor gave Kefka a very cold stare.

"As a matter of fact…YES IT IS! Now, go find it!" Kefka sent him off, staring at the blank space where the TV was earlier sitting. He had a very bitter look on his face. Crossing his legs and hovering in mid air, Kefka yelled intensely to the regal villain searching for his television set, "Did you FIND it yet?"

"I started searching five seconds ago; do you think I would find it, Sir?" Kefka stuck out his tongue, which was unnoticable to Emperor Mateus.

As the mage lounged in his velveteen seat, his head on one of the arms, he stretched his arms behind his head and had continued to smile. "That should keep him away, for a while." He turned to face the wall, closing his eyes.

If it was not for a loud thump outside of his door, he would have been asleep.

"Kefka…!" the Emperor yelled into the caravan, as he stood to the front door, "Your television set…was right outside your door."

"It…was?" Kefka asked in a seemingly high-pitched voice as the "a" and "s" in "was". "How peculiar! I thought you stole it."

"I stole it? What in Pandaemonium gave you THAT idea?"

"…I don't know. I just like blaming you." Kefka smirked, with an intensely wicked feeling. "You're really fun to make fun of, Mr. Emperor."

"Emperor MATEUS!"

"Whatever." Kefka turned to face the ceiling, and the Emperor had left as quickly as he had returned. As he had sit up, slouching somewhat, he had lied an elbow on a torn apart pillow. "There's nothing on, today." As he turned to an open door, he noted Jecht walking by, slowly. "Hey, Jecht! TV!"

Jecht sighed, taking the television set into his arms, he had walked to the small porch. "Grab your own TV, Kefka."

The Court Mage clearly becomes irritated, hovering in mid air. "You do it!" Jecht turned around as he had heard that.

"…what?"

"I said, 'You do it!',…get it?" Kefka turned away and had disappeared from Jecht's view. He returned one moment later with a bowl of Mint Chocolate ice cream. "Want some?"

"…are you serious?"

"DO YOU?"

"…I guess."

"Then finish the job, and I will give this bowl to you." It was not like Jecht could not wait, but he grabbed the television set. He had known for a fact that Kefka would not give it away; that was just how he was with everyone else. As he placed the television into the spot it was originally, Jecht faked that he was grabbing the bowl, but just as Kefka snatched it, Jecht went forward and stole it from him. "…lucky guess…" Kefka hissed, "I guess you aren't so brainless after all…but you're not as smart as me! Ha! Oh, by the way…"

"What, Kefka?"

"If you eat that, you must know… …that I licked it, already." Jecht almost began to pummel Kefka, but he knew that with Kefka's Esper enhanced power, he may be down in less than two seconds. He gave the bowl back to the Court Mage, then had just left the caravan. "…hm, more for me!" And continued to lick the ice cream, savoring each taste of the mint and the chocolate chunks.

"So, you didn't get Kefka?" Garland asked, still bound to the very corner of the Conference Caravan he was almost two weeks ago on Cocoon.

The Emperor nodded, "No. He refused to leave."

"Oh, too bad, Mateus. Your traps didn't catch him?"

"Remember, Cloud of Darkness, if I used Starfall, we'd all be dead."

"…right. …but that's not all."

"No. Not using anything else." Emperor Mateus let hs head fall to the table, "What were the plans, anyway?"

"We don't know, Exdeath called everyone here, and Kefka was the spotlight, but he does not seem to be here." said Gabranth.

And suddenly, Shantotto appeared. "Jecht I have gotten for you!"

"I'm right here, Rhyme Scheme!"

"…then which Jecht is who?" she rhymed, asking which Jecht was which. The Jecht behind her turned into Kuja. She turned, with a laugh.

"That is your Jecht." Kuja answered, sounding like he was going to begin a rhyme. …but he was not.

The Emperor nodded to the side, then lifted his head up. Glancing at a clock, his eyes go wide. "Great Palamecia! I am going to be late!" As Emperor Mateus bolted to his feet and ran out of the door, he ran into Sephiroth. "Sephiroth! Out of my way! I am going to be late!"

"For what are you to be late for?"

"I have to…" As the Emperor paused, Sephiroth raised an eyebrow in his own curiosity, "I have to see Kefka, he ordered me to—"

"Then why did you not stay with him and not arrive?"

"Because I had to tell you Kefka would not make it to the celebration."

"…carry on, Emperor." Sephiroth stood aside, letting Emperor Mateus walk on to where he was _actually_ going. He was going to see Kefka, but he had something else to do.

"…you wanted to what?" Kefka raised what may have been an eyebrow, glancing at the Emperor with his ice-blue eyes, in confusion.

"I wanted to see you. What in the world is going on, around here?" the Emperor enquired Kefka like he had amnesia.

"What do you mean, Emperor Lame-O?"

"Stop name-calling me!"

"I could do whatever I want. I practically OWN you, Emperor Shortstalk! If you don't want me calling you names, you can just LEAVE."

"I needed to see you. So answer what I asked."

"Fine. No need to be so sour. …I'm just doing my JOB." The Emperor sighed, turning away. "Oh, do you want some cake? I found some on the way to Ultimecia's snack stand."

"…okay, sure—wait a second! I know what you're going to do. You're going to _trick_ me, and steal it back. Or maybe you are going to say you ate the last of it…or…"

"Nope! Not this time!" Emperor Mateus _knew_ that grin when it came to Kefka, "…because I gave the rest of it to my loyal pet!"

"Pet?"

"Yes! My 'pet', the garbage can!"

"…what?"

"I found it on the ground."

"You sick, twisted—I am going to POUND you with…"

"No. You can't do that if I am more powerful than you." Kefka boasted with his most famous grin, "Besides, I OWN you. Now then, my make-up wearing slave, go away. You got your answer." The Emperor waltzed out of the caravan, very slowly [just as he sneered when he stepped out]. When Emperor Mateus stepped out, Kefka had taken a bowl of mint ice cream, shoveling each a savoring bite. "Gotta love ice cream!"

As he hovered to his bed, he lied down quickly. He turned his head to the television set and it had turned on without the remote. "Ah, the free time I'll never get. …hey, TV. Switch on cartoons. I'm feeling…perky, this evening."

As a result, the television switched onto G4 instead of any cartoons. "No, not videogaming!"

The security standing guard outside asked to another, "Is Sir Kefka talking to his TV, again?"

The other turned to look inside. "…yes, he is. Should I club him?"

"He's already crazy."

"We won't hear his abnoxious laughing for a while."

"_Hey, shut up! I'm trying to watch TV!_"

"Sorry, Sir Kefka." Back inside, Kefka lounges on his bed. An elbow on one of the red and yellow, decorated, pillows. The Court Mage glared at the television set, having it turn to a cartoon channel other than a videogaming channel.

He sighed, "That's MUCH better. Nothing isn't colorful without cartoons." When it comes to Kefka Palazzo, there is never a dull moment. Not even something boring was kept boring.

One could have said it felt like hours before he fell to sleep…actually, it was minutes. Approximately seven minutes, including the thirty-seven seconds added to it. Abnormally short for the _normally_ hyper Mage.

And with the others in the Conference Caravan, they were asking how Kuja got out of the caged caravan. "So, how'd you get out of the cage? Kefka likes it locked tight."

"I told them I was you, Jecht, saying that I accidentally got into the cage when I was fixing it. They got me out."

" 'They'?"

"Some of Kefka's security. That allowed me to get into here. Shantotto told me the way. I told her I was Kuja, but I guess she didn't listen."

"Listening is the key to understanding. Use it, and you will get by with everything." Shantotto rhymed quickly. It was not very long before anyone heard footsteps; over half of the villains (except for Sephiroth, Gabranth, Golbez, Exdeath, and Garland) had scrambled quickly, some leaving the caravan quickly, fearing it may have been Kefka, himself.

…it was Emperor Mateus. "Where is everyone?"

Sephiroth glanced to him, "They all escaped thinking it was Palazzo."

"Oh." The Emperor stepped into the caravan, taking a teacup, and pouring Black tea into it, "Any chance they're coming back?"

"Don't care." Golbez mentioned, in his normal [, rather deep,] tone, "We only needed Jecht. Apparently, he ran, also."

"Great. The man that calls me a 'crybaby', 'sissy', 'scaredy-cat', etc. ."

"I did not notice." Garland added, noting nothing but how he was still in the corner.

"…do you really need to move?"

"Kefka put me here as a decoration. If you moved me, he would know something is going on."

"…you are right." Sephiroth seemed to concur, "If he saw any of us missing, he would know on the spot. It seems we cannot escape him."

"What are you even planning?" the Emperor asked.

"Why should I tell the man who is most loyal to Kefka?"

"Because I am falsifying the fact that I am working for him."

"Acting? Why?"

"I hate the man; he has been after my money since I started working with him. He's been siphoning everything out of me."

"Hm… . I still do not believe you, Emperor."

"What do you WANT me to say, oh wise General?"

"Say what you want. Something to make me believe you." Sephiroth turned away. Golbez and Exdeath peered just straight to the Emperor, before turning back to Sephiroth.

The Emperor paused, crossing his arms, "I am not working for Kefka, you idiot. Who do you think I am? I am the Emperor of Palamecia! E. M. P. E. R. O. R. Emperor!"

"…I knew that."

"What do you want out of me that I never said?"

"Bring me with you to Kefka, himself, and say straight to him that you do not want to work with him."

"What? And uncover my entire plan? Never."

"Then you will not be included."

"Give the Emperor a break. He has told you what was the best idea." Golbez had spoken. Just as the Emperor stepped out the door, he made a very sly remark.

"Here's what I'm going to do. You let me in, or I will tell Kefka of your doing."

"You are bluffing, Emperor. Bring him in here, and tell it to him so we know."

"You're going to be the one speaking to him, Sephiroth." Just as the Emperor left, Sephiroth crossed his arms, knowing that the Emperor was not going to bring the Management into the caravan. But, just as he began to believe what he, himself, had said, the Emperor walked in.

"Changed your mind?" Sephiroth asked, a rather cocky tone-of-voice.

"I don't think so. You said I was 'bluffing'. I think the Management has something to say about that."

"Where is Palazzo?"

"_Right here, you dumb General!_" Sephiroth stood straight forward.

"Sir Kefka!"

"What's this fiasco about my little make-up wearing servant not being able to join in your reindeer games?" Kefka smirked, but it seemed very twisted and evil; that the smirk was not close to a "smile", as it would normally be.

Sephiroth nodded, "We were coming to tell you first, Sir!"

"…keep a close eye on them, Emperor Lame-O."

"Emperor Palamecia!"

"Whatever." And Kefka had left the caravan in what seemed to be a hurry. Sephiroth turned to see the Emperor standing before the doorway.

"You dodged a blade on that, Emperor."

"You didn't say anything."

"Exactly."

"Okay, I am going to DRAG you to him to tell him what your plans REALLY are."

"Go ahead." The Emperor actually dragged Sephiroth out of the caravan and less than one half of a mile to Kefka's caravan, knocking on the door. The security guards stepped to the side to let them through.

"What is it now, you numbskull? I'm busy!"

The Emperor spoke through the half-open door. "Sir Kefka, Sephiroth has something he wants to tell you." As a result, Sephiroth stays silent, for the fear of releasing the plan.

"Well? What is it? Spill the beans!"

"Will you wait?"

" 'Wait', he says. Do I look like a waiter?"

"Shut up and listen to me, you overzealous psychopath!"

"Oh, classic! …well?" Sephiroth stayed silent for a moment, then the Emperor spoke up to the Court Mage without fear.

"Sephiroth is planning to—"

" 'Planning to' what?" Kefka crossed his arms, still hovering in the air. "Come on Emperor Shortstalk!"

"…I will deal with that later. Anyway, Sephiroth was planning to revolt."

"Revolt? …splendid!"

"…what?" Exdeath asked, trying to hear again what he thought he heard.

"Delightful! Going according to plan." Kefka turned, leaving the five of them back to the caravan. The Emperor followed him, much like a dog. "Sephiroth's plan to revolt is going into my plan at a wonderful pace! Before he knows it, I'll be an ultimate leader, again!"

"Sir, do you think it is a good idea?"

"Of course! I got ALL under control." The Emperor followed the Court Mage to a wildly colorful tent. "Okay, enough of that pretty boy. I'm almost glad you followed me, but who am I if I am 'glad'? Certainly not me!" Emperor Mateus sighed, glancing to Kefka as he (Kefka) sat before the table, lounging in a suddenly colorful, destroyed, chair. "Here's what I want you to do when we end this thing and move to Narshe in a few days. I want you to…" Kefka whispered into the Emperor's ears.

"…you're kidding. You want me to…burn it?"

"Yap!"

"Why?"

"The whole idea of ending with a bang wasn't good enough. I want more pizzazz! More palazzo!"

"Sir, 'palazzo', upon being your last name, is the Italian word for 'palace' or 'king'."

"Oh…then hows about some pizzazz?"

"Sir, I still do not think it is a very good idea that you do that."

"Who CARES about good ideas! I want more fire. …hey, why are you with the villains if you don't want to kill people? Killing is all the rage right now!"

"Sir, just…nevermind." The Emperor quickly left the tent, without another word. Kefka glanced behind himself, seeing no one. Emperor Mateus had seemed to leave, silently. After a few minutes of silence, and Kefka not even speaking as much as a word, he knew that someone would have to come in and speak to him.

As he sat there, staring to the opposite of the tent, he had started speaking to himself.

"Those idiots. They don't know who they're messing with. Sephiroth thinks he rules the world—Emps Mateus thinks he can rule me over. Let's see him try to destroy the world."

"I ruined the world."

"Me too! But…who can surpass me?"

"I can!"

"Really? So can I!"

"…you're lonely."

"Yeah… . …I'm kinda thirsty. I'm itching for some of the lemon and some of the ade."

"Me too!" Kefka lept up and ran into Ultimecia.

"Good timing!"

"Stop talking to yourself, Kefka." Kefka almost frowned at this; whenever he was bored, he always spoke to himself for his own entertainment when he was not out destroying things. As he said to Terra, he was only bringing entertainment and not destroying, but did he really mean that?

As the Mage followed the Time witch, "Where're we going?"

"To get you the lemon and ade you ordered." Stepping into Ultimecia's snack stand, it took Kefka less than one second to begin exploring. "I just happened to pass by looking for you when I heard you wanted lemonade." She turned, and so did he. It seemed he was placing a finger in cake mix. "…oh, help yourself, Kefka."

He glanced back to the cake mix, then saw to the left. "What's this weird abomination?"

Ultimecia turned to meet him as he pointing to the weird abomination that looked much like a Trilium. "Oh, that is called funnel cake."

"Can I?"

"No."

"But why? It looks delicious!"

"I've never made it before, someone asked for it yesterday."

"Did you taste it yet?"

"…no, I—"

"Can I?"

"I thought you said you were thirsty."

"Yeah. I'm hungry, too. How about some of that cake?"

"No." Ultimecia spoke flatly, stealing the bowl of mix and pouring it into a vat.

"And then I wonder why you're so feisty."

"Because… . I just hate you."

"You're no picnic for the god of magic." Kefka turned away from Ultimecia, trying to grab a small piece of the funnel cake. She knew as she turned, soon ushering him out of the tent.

"Stay out, Kefka."

"What about my lemon and my ade?" Ultimecia handed the Mage the lemonade, only by her hand out of the tent. "There, that wasn't so bad. …eh, that was horrible." Kefka turned away, hovering back to his own caravan. "Well, I have the lemon and the ade, but what can I do?"

As Kefka questioned himself about being in his caravan, the Emperor had glanced to his left to see Kefka pacing his caravan in what may have been in a hurry. "What is going on?"

"Thinkin'! Now leave me alone!"

"It's not like you to be alone. You constantly talk to yourself. Now what is going on?" Kefka continues to pace his caravan, the Emperor still stands before the doorway. He crosses him arms, awaiting an answer from the insane Mage. "…well?"

" 'Well' what?"

"What is going on?"

"I'm wondering what I can do."

"Come to the Conference Caravan and just let go an hour." Emperor Mateus placed both hands on top of the bottom half of the caravan's doorway. "…there's free cake."

"What am I waiting for?" Kefka bolted out of his caravan, "Let's go, Slowpoke!" As the Emperor fell to the dirt, he had been passed by the Mage. He dusted himself off and followed Kefka. "You're too slow!" He seemed to circle around the Emperor, like a hungry wolf.

"Then just go!" Kefka left at the second's notice. "That will get him out of my hair…for a while." Emperor Mateus hovered to see Jecht, just walking out of the caravan. Because of the darkness of the night, the Emperor almost walked straight into Jecht again. "Woah! Missed me by my javelin. Where're you going?"

"To go to my caravan. Why?"

"Just curious. Can't blame a Emperor for asking out of his own curiosity."

"…I guess. Well, I have to get something. I'll be back." Jecht passed on, the Emperor turning to the short stairway that led to the door of the Conference Caravan.

"What's going on?"

"Besides Jecht leaving at a short notice to grab a few drinks, everything's fine." Cloud of Darkness spoke, hovering to the Emperor.

"Where's Kefka?"

"Right over there, waiting for Jecht."

_Kefka never understood me,_ the Emperor began to think to himself, _I wanted to kill everyone who got in my way to becoming the ultimacy. He never will understand if he keeps at this. His plans to burn this place will put me down to the ground. I have to burn the tent at the end of the last act of South Figaro._ Emperor Mateus glanced forward to meet the solid, cold-hearted, gaze of Sephiroth. "Sephiroth. I'm glad to see you're not drowning yourself in all of those contracts and papers."

"Those were not contracts, you fool. I was writing poems."

"Poems that fail like Kuja's?"

"Oh, burn!" Kefka yelled, a grin on his face worth being afraid of.

"No, poems that HAVE a meaning." Sephiroth glared to Kuja, who sat across from him.

"My poems have a meaning. It means, 'you die'."

"Yes, but they have no subliminal message, no direct meaning, no sense…the list goes on." Sephiroth countered, just as the Emperor crossed his arms and intruded the conversation.

"Both of you, quiet down! I have to say something to Kefka." Kefka never gave his attention to the Emperor, but rather, fiddled with his fingers and was talking to himself. The Emperor had taken his javelin, trying to make Kefka listen to him. "Kefka!"

It seemed to startle him, having Kefka fall from his seat. "Great. You HAD to do that!"

"Emperor Mateus, Sir!" One of the security guards from outside had found him. It seemed he was very determined to speak.

"What is it, Soldier?"

"Ultimecia demands you help her with something. What do you want me to say?"

"I will go there myself."

"Okay, sir—wait, what?" But the Emperor already had passed him, "I will accompany you, Sir!"

"Leave that lousy Emperor alone and report back to post, you lazy scoundrel!"

"…Sir, yes Sir."

"That, or I will zap you until you die."

"…yes, Sir." The guard returned outside to his post.

"AND STOP SLACKING!" Kefka yelled as his last few words to him before he left to his post. Jecht had then returned with the few drinks.

"Where's the Emperor?"

"He just left, you missed him by a minute." Sephiroth told him, just as Jecht had sat down two places from Cloud of Darkness. He placed the drinks in front of him, throwing one to Sephiroth, another to Kuja, and one to Kefka.

Jecht lied back in his chair, Cloud of Darkness immediately made the move to swipe his feet from the table. Kefka allowed it. "Sir, it is his feet, not any form of footwear. Do you see Ultimecia having her feet, ever, on the table?"

"Shut up, you old fruit. Who said I had rules?"

"But…his feet are on the table—"

"Fine, I'll take them off." Jecht spoke as he set his feet back onto the ground. Cloud of Darkness nodded, smirking toward Kefka in a very sinister way, then hearing the _clink-clink_ of footsteps outside the doorway. "Finally! What took you?"

"Sir, Zidane is missing." The Emperor crossed his arms, Kefka bolting out faster than a cheetah on a raceway.

"Go find him, you lazy emperor!"

"Sir, I—"

"NOW!" Kefka pushed Emperor Mateus out, and thus had he (Mateus) begun searching for Zidane. "Now then, where were we?"

"We can't do this without the Emperor." Jecht said, "He was who set this up."

"Well, enjoy the fun without him." The Mage glanced to the door, "He isn't coming back for a good while."

Kuja dealt a deck of cards, it seemed they were going to play Blackjack. …either that, or Poker. Just as Ultimecia stepped in, she immediately questioned the whereabouts of Emperor Mateus. Cloud of Darkness had answered quickly, just as Ultimecia sat just beside her.

"Zidane is missing? What are we sitting around for?"

" 'Cause Emperor Lame-O does everything for us!"

"He's not your servant."

"Yes, he is."

"_Sir, someone says he found a man in blue running off with Zidane, heading for the direction of Narshe._ Believes he saw blond hair." Just as the Emperor turned, almost everyone seemed to stand…everyone except for Kefka.

"What should I do about it?" enquired the Court Mage, who happened to continue relaxing without a single care.

"I believe we might have to grab some Chocobos from the stable and ride to Narshe to find him."

"We have to go through Mt. Koltz, Sir." said one of the soldiers, standing behind him.

"Mt. Koltz? I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate HATE that place! There's that guy at the end. What's his name? Vardas?"

"No, Sir! It's Vargas, Sir! Vargas awaits you, Kefka."

"Why me?"

"Don't know, Sir."

"Shuddap, and gimme a reason!"

"No one knows, Sir!"

"Don't give me excuses, scum," Kefka stood and hovered to the guard, then beginning to slap him, crazy, "gimme some results!" (Reference: "Skipper" from Madagascar)

"Sir, we have to fight him to find out what he wants."

"Oh, fine! We are going to Narshe anyway. Pack up your things, you lazy scoundrels! We're going to Narshe tonight!"

"Sir Kefka, what about the plans to this place?"

"We'll do just that in Narshe to make up for it. Or…we'll just set the town on fire here."

"…fire? What about 'fire'?" Sephiroth asked, still keeping his calm voice.

"...it's a secret. Don't ask about it, loser." Kefka shirked it, hovering out of the caravan. Sephiroth, Cloud of Darkness, and Kuja followed. Ultimecia stood, then hovering out of the caravan after a moment of silence between the three of the remaining villains in the singular room. Jecht continued packing the cards and the Emperor decided to help.

He glanced to the corner of the caravan, realizing that Garland was not there, either. "Jecht, have you seen Garland, anywhere?"

"He's right at the—" Jecht turned his head to see the spot where Garland was not, "Where is he?"

"Should we look for him?"

"If Kefka finds out we aren't in here, packing everything and movin' like a gypsy, then he'd know something's up. I tell you, Emperor, he's got the eyes of an eagle." Jecht placed the chairs on the table, grabbing the drinks from the empty places left on the table.

"He could be anywhere though. No one even noticed he was gone. Not even Kefka."

"I'm sure Sephiroth knows something about it, but that he didn't want to say anything, I'm guessin'." Jecht stood for a moment, then turned to him, "Wait, what did you say about Kefka?"

"He didn't see Garland missing, either."

"This might be perfect for Sephiroth's plan."

"What is it?"

"He told me not to say anything to these three, 'Kefka', 'Exdeath', 'Emperor Mateus'."

"Why not Exdeath?"

"Exdeath, if you think about it, is basically Kefka's most loyal employee. We're not sure if he is doing this just to be under cover, or if he actually does tell Kefka everything he finds, no matter who it is."

"Then why hasn't he actually said much the entire time we were here in South Figaro?"

"Because…because…well, he hasn't. He actually has his own plans."

"_So he's going to blow this popsicle stand, too?_ I wanted to have some fun, and you guys ruin it with all your plotting." Kefka heard this from outside, trying to speak in on the conversation. "Stop dilly-dallying, and start working!"

"On it, Sir!" Kefka left in a hurry, and the strongman whispered to his villainous emperor comrade. "Look, we're all trying to bust out of here. Somethin' ain't right about this place, it's like it's completely rigged to get us in trouble. I ain't likin' it."

"Thanks for the information, Jecht."

"Yeah, whatever—oh, great! I just told Sephiroth's plan."

"Don't worry, Jecht. My mouth is zipped to the last groove." As both the Emperor and Jecht had the caravan swept clean after an hour of just talking, they headed out and almost locked the door. Only if Garland had not returned, they would have locked it tight.

With a rather loud "Ungaah!" from the Emperor, he was knocked out of the way when Garland stepped to the door.

"Someone was standing there, Garland. Did you notice? And…where were you?"

"I found my way back, after Strife had tried taking off with me."

"Do you like it in there?"

"No. Was Kefka in here?"

"About one and one-half hours ago. Why?"

"Did he notice I was gone?"

"Not that I knew. Emperor, did you see him find Garland missing?"

"_I said 'no', earlier. Remember? Ungaah…!_" The Emperor lied face down into the dirt, not making a move to stand back to his feet.

"…wait…what? Did you just say 'Strife'? Like…_Cloud Strife_?"

"He was with Bartz."

"They must have some connection to the random leaving of Terra."

"_That was Kefka's fault she left._"

"Oh." Jecht glanced to the Emperor. "Do you want to lie there, all night? Or do you want to GET UP and stop crying, Crybaby?"

The Emperor stood without another word, dusting himself off of the dirt. He walked back to his caravan in no hurry. "I'll get some tea, then stop worrying about it. There's no hurry. It's not like we're working our tails off for Chaos. Now I can find my way to rule supreme, all these worlds. No offense, Kuja!"

"None taken, you jerk with an ego!"

"Hey!"

"What? I said 'none taken'." Kuja stopped yelling, then re-entered the cage quickly. Kuja muttered quickly, "_Spoiled brat._"

"I heard that!" As the Emperor re-entered his caravan and shut the door.

"Guy's got good ears."

"And I am an 'Emperor', not 'guy'."

"Sorry, you jerk!" The Emperor disappeared into the darkness of his caravan, taking a six Green Tea bags and placing them in a kettle with the colors of gold and purple.

As the tea sat on the stove, for a while, the Emperor passed his own time by reading. He glanced to his right, knowing he had no television to watch, or a clock. The only electricity was the lights…and his pocketwatch, when he had no pockets for one.

For his spare time, he read over an old Shakespearean play, possibly King Lear. It may have taken but fifteen minutes to repeat the steps to make scratch Green Tea, but it was worth it. As the kettle blew steam, seeping from the spout, the Emperor stood with a saucer already in his hand. This saucer held a teacup that was purple and had golden rims. "Nothing like tea to warm up from the frigid outside. Why didn't I think of this any sooner?"

"_Hey, Emperor!"_

"Finally, he calls me by my actual—"

"Emperor, get out here! Gotta tell you something!" Emperor Mateus slammed the table, but still held the teacup.

"Wait, Sir. You interrupted me." He finished what was in the teacup, and opened the top half of the door to find Kefka, just in front of his face.

"Hello!"

"…what do you want?"

"I want you to come to my caravan, immediately."

"Couldn't you explain it, here?"

"Everyone else is outside MY caravan. I suggest you do it, or drop out from the fun!" The Emperor sighed, slamming the top half of the door, "Alright. Fine. Don't come!"

"Who said 'I wasn't going'?" The Emperor had randomly appeared behind Kefka. Just as Kefka fell forward out of being startled, he managed to catch his fall. "So, where's this rally?"

"Ain't a rally, Emperor Mat, it's a group!"

"Yes, a rally. I can hear it from the other side of South Figaro."

"Oh, that one. We're burning up the town."

"Without me?"

"Yap! It's a riot!" Kefka cackled insanely. "Come on, we're having fun! Do it with us! You're the main event!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Get out there, or I will kill you." His voice deepened to a very dark tone, not even able to intimidate the Emperor.

"Sir, I—"

"No! Not gonna hear it. Get out there before I beat you down like a flapjack to a spatula!" Emperor Mateus stepped out of his caravan and disappeared to the main direction of the flames in the Southwest of South Figaro.

As the Emperor was dragging his feet along the ground of the cobblestone, Kefka hopped past him at a much faster pace. It seemed as though that the Court Mage had no trouble returning to the site of the flames, but the Emperor of Palamecia tried following along Kefka's path…which may have been a "long-cut" and not a shortcut.

When he had arrived to the first placement of the beginning of the fire, the Emperor just repeatedly tapped Kefka on the shoulder with his javelin. "Sir, you said it was going to be funny."

"…I did? Oh, no! This is different! By 'riot', I meant 'a group of idiots who have nothing better to do than to yell and go on strike'." The Mage smirked with an insane expression on his face. "After you burn this place to the ground, drop by my caravan."

After one hour of burning homes, and others trying to rescue those inside the houses, the Emperor finished his work as he strode onward to Kefka, who was lying on the stairs of his own caravan. "What are you doing?"

"Watchin' the stars move."

"Sir, stars are so far away that you could never see them move, in space. If so, they are meteors. You know, 'shooting stars'."

"Right, sure. I'll agree with ya." Emperor Mateus noted Kefka looking in another direction, away from the sky and the Emperor, himself.

"Sir Kefka, look at me what I talk to you." Kefka had closed his eyes, making random patterns in the air. "Kefka Palazzo, are you drunk?"

_End of Chapter II_


End file.
